Florida: U.S. House of Representatives, 25th District

Candidates

Annie Betancourt, Democrat
Mario Diaz-Balart, Republican

Issues: Prescription Drugs | Social Security | Health Care |

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Question

Many people with Medicare lack adequate coverage for prescription drugs and face skyrocketing costs. What solution do you support to help Medicare beneficiaries pay for their drugs?

AARP Response

AARP believes an acceptable Medicare drug benefit needs to meet the following tests:

First, the benefit must offer real value at an affordable price. The monthly premium should be less than $35. The beneficiary’s deductible and co-payments should be reasonable and affordable, (e.g. a deductible no greater than $250). There should be no gaps in coverage, leaving persons to pay 100% of high out-of-pocket costs.

Second, the benefit should be available to all Medicare beneficiaries on a voluntary basis. No one should be forced into the program. But no one should also be denied access to a Medicare drug benefit because of where they live, how sick they might be, or how much or how little income they have.

Third, the plan must help bring down soaring drug costs.

Fourth, the plan must include additional help for low-income persons.

Issue	Yes	No	Unclear
Creates an affordable monthly premium
Supports a fair deductible and co-payment
Provides no gaps in coverage

Candidate Response: Annie Betancourt

First, the bill needs to passed now. It should assure affordability and value. The bill should make sure between the premium, co-insurance and deductible there is no gap in coverage of prescription drugs. The amount of premiums, the deductible should not be set by insurance companies but by a plan worked out with groups affected by the high cost of drugs. Prescription coverage should be covered 100% after out-of-pocket expenses of $2,000. People in Medicare should be able to choose an extra premium for affordable, dependable prescription drug coverage.

Candidate Response: Mario Diaz-Balart

Under Medicare, senior citizens should be offered a plan that pays for a significant portion of their prescription costs.

Question

Do you support or oppose replacing part of Social Security with individual accounts?

AARP Response

AARP strongly opposes replacing ANY part of Social Security with individual accounts. Social Security is not in crisis. Without any changes in current law, Social Security can pay 100% of benefits until 2041. But individual accounts funded with Social Security dollars mean Social Security would face financial problems sooner.

"Personal control" sounds appealing. But substituting private accounts, even for part of Social Security, drains money from Social Security, which means less money to pay guaranteed benefits.

Creating these private accounts requires trading today’s inflation-protected lifetime guaranteed benefit for an account subject to market risk and not guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Inflation, market turns, or sudden loss of employment can also mean that your private account may not have enough money to provide an adequate benefit. AARP supports options that help Americans save for their retirement through individual accounts on top of Social Security; but opposes replacing any part of Social Security’s guaranteed benefit.

Issue	Yes	No	Unclear
Creates individual accounts out of Social Security
Position means less money for guaranteed benefits
Position guarantees benefits for your lifetime

Candidate Response: Annie Betancourt

I do not support the privatization of the Social security system. This plan puts those who rely on Social Security the most, women and minorities at risk. The volatility the stock market is also a major factor to consider-these plans can jeopardize guaranteed benefits.

Candidate Response: Mario Diaz-Balart

No one who is expecting to receive his or her Social Security benefits should have to worry about a different set of rules or benefits! We also need to find responsible ways to increase the yield and return from investments of Social Security funds in order to guarantee that Social Security will be solid for generations to come.

Question

In the face of escalating costs, how would you reform the health care system to make it available, affordable and accessible for every American?

AARP Response

AARP supports measures to achieve access to affordable health care coverage for all individuals, an approach that would address the needs of those without public or private insurance or those at risk of losing coverage.

In the absence of universal coverage, AARP supports incremental reforms specifically targeted to particular populations that significantly improve coverage options for those without public or private insurance or those at risk for losing coverage.

These reforms include:

• Opening existing public programs (e.g. Medicaid) to new categories of people who are uninsured;
  
  
• Inducing employers to offer coverage;
  
  
• Subsidizing the cost of private coverage for those who are uninsured, underinsured, or at risk of losing coverage;
  
  
• Expanding the continuation of group health care coverage at group rates to persons whose access is ending (e.g. expanding COBRA coverage).
  
  

Issue	Yes	No	Unclear
Supports health care for all Americans
Proposes steps to cover more people

Candidate Response: Annie Betancourt

Adequate health care is a right not a privilege and should be available to all Americans. Anyone who is not coverage on the job should be allowed to buy low-cost healthcare. I would favor continuing the current system of providing healthcare through employers and public programs to do this.

Candidate Response: Mario Diaz-Balart

Affordable and accessible healthcare for all Americans is a priority of mine. While there are many proposed solutions to the lack of healthcare coverage that should be examined carefully. I do advocate tax credits for individuals purchasing healthcare insurance, increased consumer choice in the selection of coverage, and increased competition between healthcare plans